Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Hugo Winterhalter

Not a huge hitmaker in our era, 3 top 100 singles in all, two of which are on this collection called The Best Of Hugo Winterhalter. I remember that there was a box of obscure 45s at Country Music Centre, probably about 10 cents each, and there were dozens of Hugo Winterhalter singles. Did I buy any? No. I did not.

Hugo Winterhalter:

• Beyond The Blue Horizon – This song has this weird chug-a-chug rhythm, while the chorus sings of hope and dreams.• Count Every Star – A song of separation and longing.• Blue Violins• The Little Musicians – Supposed to sound like children I suppose. A hit in the spring of 1956.• Vanessa – Vanessa was the secretary at the law firm I worked at. She was very young, about 18, and from a town up north. She had quite the hair style, and was not bad looking at all. G-Dork, one of my colleagues, took her out one night, and got a bit too fresh. So as it happened to be April 1, the guys got a downtown colleague to draft a statement of claim on her behalf, alleging all kinds of inappropriate assaults, and “sexual touching” etc. And G-Dork, well he panicked. And the guys were laughing their heads off. I don’t know whether Vanessa knew any of this.• Canadian Sunset– A biggie, from the fall of 1956. Canadian is good. Credited to Hugo Winterhalter and Eddie Heywood, who plays piano. A hit also for Andy Williams, with singing.• Song Of The Barefoot Contessa – Indeed. A bolero of sorts.• Land Of Dreams• The Little Shoemaker – What a pair of shoes can do…• The Terry Theme – A song about a towel?• Blue Tango – Also by Les Baxter.